We’ve just gotten over Halloween and suddenly there’s Christmas lights & jolly jingles in our lives. Early November sees the onset of Winter wonderlands and heralds the start of the run up to the festive season; whether you like it or not, Christmas is a comin’!

One of the most annoying things about backpacking is just picking and choosing between what to take along! Bring too much and you’ll want to set your backpack on fire for being too heavy. And getting advice from your friends is no use since they've all been to different continents at different times of the year. How about all the information online from Choosing Your Perfect Backpack to Packing Hacks? Overwhelming!

Packing for your next vacation can sometimes be a hassle. Everyone has their standard for essentials and bare minimums. Whether you're an active backpacker or on holidays to relax, it's always good to plan ahead and create a checklist of must-have items. Our suggestion would be to keep it light, but think of unforeseen circumstances no matter the budget. So here's a list of 7 essentials to pack on your next trip abroad:

Backpacking is awesome - meeting people all the time, seeing unexplored places every day through free walking tours, constant new experiences - but there are definitely a few pain-in-the-aspects we wish we could do without.

Backpacking is an experience everyone and anyone should try out once in their lifetime. Who wouldn't want to take time off to see the world, learn new things, meet great people, and open your eyes to new horizons? It does, however, require a lot of planning, research, and precaution (all in moderation, of course) to have a successful backpacking trip. Whether it will be your first time backpacking, or you're looking for some extra ideas for the road, we decided to help new and old backpackers alike with a list of a few basic things to consider when travelling abroad. We offer advice on how to simplify your packing plans, save money on accommodation, and learn about new cities by joining free walking tours! Without further ado, here's HostelCulture's essential basic guide to planning your backpacking trip:

Can you imagine travelling without taking a single picture? Most of us couldn’t! They’re meaningful keepsakes, a great outlet for creativity, and make our friends and family back home envious informed. So pull out that camera during our free walking tours in Europe and get practicing. We're not all tech-experts or made of money, so check out these simple tips to get better travel photography without having to break the bank!

The clocks have been wound back an hour and Winter has officially begun to take hold. Around this time of year the ancient Celts marked the arrival of darker days with the Samhain festival, which included a number of rituals to ward off evil spirits thought to roam our lands. One such ritual was to don costumes to confuse the wandering spirits on Oíche Shamhna, a night which has since become known as Halloween. Irish famine emigrants of the 1840s brought with them to America this ancient tradition and it soon became commercialised.